Deb D’Andrea, Nederland.  Spring has sprung, and mud season has arrived. Not only does mud cling to every piece of fur on my Girls’ paws and forearms; but depending on how hard they play, mud splatters their bellies brown! This makes for a fun time when trying to clean everyone and keep a house clean.

I’ve found that encouraging my Girls to run around in a grassy area outside prior to entering the house helps to shake off some of the mud; and having a clean towel at the front door to wipe muddy paws and bellies off works well in minimizing how much dirt and mud enters the house. It’s difficult to get all the mud off of them; so when it dries, I gently run my hands through their fur to dislodge any clumps, and lightly brush them to remove remaining dirt.

While not foolproof in removal of all dirt and mud, this process is helpful in keeping the house somewhat clean. I don’t wash my Girls unless they’ve been rolling in the mud, as consistently washing them can dry out their skin. Of course, I’m guilty of bringing in my own fair share of dirt and mud on my boots!

Another trick to help keep their paws healthy and mud free during mud season is to gently rub sesame oil into their pads and paw fur. This helps retain moisture in their pads and reduces the amount of dirt that sticks to their pads, thus reducing the amount of dirt brought inside. I discovered this trick when first moving to Colorado and my Girls’ pads became cracked and dry, the moisture sucked out of them by the mud and clay mixture.

A couple minutes of oil treatment and they were good to go.

Happy mud season – spring has sprung!

Till next time. Deb D’Andrea, founder of 4TheLuvOfDogz & the Caribou Dog Ranch, recognized by the State of Colorado as a Certified Canine Massage Therapist, will visit your home or Vet’s office to work with your dog. Canine Agility may be offered at the Caribou Dog Ranch in 2018 if there is interest. Deb currently has limited availability for new Pet Nanny Clients; and bakes up fresh dog treats & doggy birthday cakes per order. For information contact Deb at 720-675-7078 or email: info@4theluvofdogz.com.